Just preparing to exercise my democratic right.

Anybody else voted yet?

Originally posted by Deavon
Just preparing to exercise my democratic right.

Anybody else voted yet?

We voted @ 8, this morn :thumbsup:

feel quite bad that i haven't actually. i've lived in Sheffield for four years now but never got round to re-registering. My poll card is at my mums. I know i could have done it by post, but to be honest - i forgot! The constituancy at home is a solid Conservative seat anyway, so don't suppose my Green Party vote would have mattered.

Yes, I have been to vote. It is the first time I have been able to vote in a general election so I was quite excited, but to be honest it was a bit of a let down. I thought there would at least be a queue. As it was there was just a woman, a desk and a box. However, she was very friendly, and they were playing some very soothing music, which was nice.

Shall be going along to St Luke's to vote around lunch-time. I think I've only failed to vote (on a national level) once in 18 years.

Then you'll be pleased to know that I'm probably helping my wife down at 'party' HQ this evening for a couple of hours.:o :o :o

Originally posted by kathythebean
Yes, I have been to vote. It is the first time I have been able to vote in a general election so I was quite excited, but to be honest it was a bit of a let down. I thought there would at least be a queue. As it was there was just a woman, a desk and a box. However, she was very friendly, and they were playing some very soothing music, which was nice.

Lol I went to vote for the first time today as well..and was also a little dissappointed! I thought there would be loads of people, all secretly hiding their ballot papers. But no, just me! :)

Walkley Library was quite busy!

However, I felt a bit like the characters in The Simpson's episode where the two candidates in the election are both hideous space aliens..... :)

But, I have excercised my democratic duty and privelege.

Joe

I shall be voting later on today, didnt bother last election. Will be voting labour-- cant stand the thought of that creep Mr Howard winning. Labour isnt perfect but their priorities are right. And that DOES include the Iraq war. Good luck Tony.

Tee hee, that is a funny episode.

Did anyone hear 'Election Night' by the pythons, they played it on radio 4's today programme, since they're not allowed to talk about the election. I have not heard it before, its very very funny.

Of course! It's my democratic duty. At least now I have the right to moan about Labour for the next five years.

I wanted to vote, i'm in the hallam constiuency i think(!) but i'm not registered in sheffield - Which is silly cos despite the fact i'm a student I live her full tim enow. Oh Well!

It won't make any difference (baa!!)

Mod. Note

Just thought I'd remind people that it's a thread about whether you've voted, not WHO you've voted for, and not for who you think others should vote for.... ;)

Thanks,

Joe

Apologies if I stated my voting preference in my previous posting. Is it just supposed to be a YES or NO then? :)

I voted by post as soon as the paper came through.

Two questions, one flippant and one serious, though.

1.) Is anyone on the forum old enough to remember voting when the stubby little pencils at the polling station were long??

2.) Has anyone voted for a party other than the one they would have voted for at the start of the campaign?

I would've voted differently at the start of the campaign - I changed my mind on who to vote for whilst in the bath this morning! Must've been inspired by my rubber ducky :)

i have not voted yet today as i am waiting on a delivery but i will be dragging myself round to vote, i have not voted in the past but this time i feel its a "needs must"

I think it's really encouraging that so many people are weighing up their choice in this General Election. It's refreshingly different! :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Lee1979
feel quite bad that i haven't actually. i've lived in Sheffield for four years now but never got round to re-registering. My poll card is at my mums. I know i could have done it by post, but to be honest - i forgot! The constituancy at home is a solid Conservative seat anyway, so don't suppose my Green Party vote would have mattered.

Pity you could not vote Lee1979 - I think every vote helps the candidate get back their deposit money for standing for the election.

Not sure how much it costs these days to stand for election but didn't they put the cost up quite abit last election to try to stop the more 'amusing' parties who didn't stand a chance of winning but made it more fun?

And I will be off after my lunch to cast my vote and silently thank the ladies in history who fell under horses and were jailed to get us ladies the right to vote.

Looking forward to watching the results coming in tonight and the early hours of the morning.

Originally posted by samc

And I will be off after my lunch to cast my vote and silently thank the ladies in history who fell under horses and were jailed to get us ladies the right to vote.




Hear Hear. I will drink an ale in their honour when I finish work :)

Originally posted by JonJParr
Apologies if I stated my voting preference in my previous posting. Is it just supposed to be a YES or NO then? :)

Nope, just trying to remove the possibility of people canvassing for support. :)

Joe

Originally posted by Lee1979
The constituancy at home is a solid Conservative seat anyway, so don't suppose my Green Party vote would have mattered.

I doubt the green party feels the same way.

The polls close at 10, so I will wander out some time this evening.

People changing their mind as late as today ... ... bad news for the incumbents one hopes.

I got myself around to woodseats library, this morning, and was joined by my neighbour, and we voted at around 8.30am.
I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoy the short journey to vote in a polling station, and postal voting was a completely soulless experience. And for the rest of the day I feel satisfied and happy that I have done my duty.

I went and voted on my way into uni. I was quite surprised to find that there was just me there, no other voters in sight, the girl stamping the ballots said there had only been 70 people in all day (it was noon when i got there)!!!!!

Originally posted by samc

And I will be off after my lunch to cast my vote and silently thank the ladies in history who fell under horses and were jailed to get us ladies the right to vote.

this is one major reason i'm upset at not being able to vote. its my own fault thought for not planning far enough in advance.

Originally posted by Lee1979
this is one major reason i'm upset at not being able to vote. its my own fault thought for not planning far enough in advance.

Well at least you are thinking about today and not someone who wouldn't vote because they can't be arsed. I find that really hard to understand. I get the dilemma of not wanting to vote for any of the options but to not care at all... don't get it.

no i am not voting.had my postal vote through last week,just not voting,,,
sorry,,

Originally posted by Hopman
I voted by post as soon as the paper came through.

Two questions, one flippant and one serious, though.

1.) Is anyone on the forum old enough to remember voting when the stubby little pencils at the polling station were long??

2.) Has anyone voted for a party other than the one they would have voted for at the start of the campaign?

I first voted in the early sixties and the pencils have always been short. I believe they cut a normal pencil into four pieces to keep costs down ;)

As for your second question, - who would want to admit to being gullible enough to be swayed by the promises of politiciians?- I did though cast my vote.

I voted at Ann Grove School Heeley Polling Station on Hartley Street this lunch time on my way to Uni.

I'm proud to have fulfilled my duty.

The pencil was one of them HUGE mutha of a fat pencil I tell the !

yes, been and done the deed about an hour ago!

Can't understand those who don't take advantage of their right to vote - probably spend most of their time moaning about the state of the country too!!

Just cast my vote for *******!.There were quite a few people there although they were all old,then a young lad walked in must have been 18 and it felt good to see a young un voting.

I haven't voted yet, will do later though.. Planning on voting Lib Dem, cos I'm fed up of Labour, I don't want another Tory government, nor do I want the British Nob 'ead Party or UKIP to get in... So yeh, voting Lib Dem's the way to go for me.

I'm realy not sure what to do, I'm not maddly keen on Labour or the Tories, but I don't think the Lib Dems will win, so perhaps I should go for the lesser of the two evils.

Originally posted by Hopman
I voted by post as soon as the paper came through.

Two questions, one flippant and one serious, though.

1.) Is anyone on the forum old enough to remember voting when the stubby little pencils at the polling station were long??

2.) Has anyone voted for a party other than the one they would have voted for at the start of the campaign?

I changed my mind and changed it back about 5 times. I have voted for the same party that I did in the last election.

yep, me and my o/h did the deed just after lunch time in the church opp. hillsboro' park, can never remember its name!! just us 2 in, the women there looked very bored!!
(and it stunk of wee!!)
So, good luck to my party.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I will be voting for who I voted for last time in the election this evening. Not that it will make much difference to the overall result in my area.

I voted at 8am at St Stephens Church. Not going to say on here which candidate I voted for, but he supports the Blades and I feel fairly confident he will win his seat. :D

Always exercise my democratic right. Voted last week (postal vote). No point in guessing which party I supported!

Red

PS I saw an elderly man going to the polling station in Norfolk Park today. He walked with great difficulty, very slowly, using two sticks. I offered a lift, but he declined, saying that as long as he had breath in his body, he would get to the polling station to do his duty and vote. What a remarkable example to us all to use our vote.

I walked all the way to Worral village and back to cast my vote before work this morning. In fact I got to vote twice cos I had a proxy vote for Mr Pussycat - good job we agree on politics otherwise I might have been tempted to vote differently to what he wanted! :D

There was only me, my proxy form and my dog. Took me ages to decide with booth to go in. :)

I voted and took my old mom to vote too. It's my duty to all the suffragettes!

I voted as soon as I got up,straight to the church here in Netherthorpe.:thumbsup:

Just called in on my way back from work ... Woodseats Nursery Polling Station was quite busy ...

Even after voting in approx 10 GE and numerous local elections, I must admit I had one of those terrifying moments where you think you might somehow accidently put your X in the wrong place and spoil your ballot paper!!

And when I went in I had a heart clenching moment that I wasn't going to be allowed to vote because I didn't get a polling card .. and therefore for some strange reason I wasn't registered ... but of course I was .... :D

Some poor guy was in there trying to get them to let him vote, he'd applied for a postal vote and not received it ... but the stern answer was NO! sorry ... :( Wonder how many other people that's happened to ... I know of several who had to go off on holiday or business being denied their democratic right to vote by the papers not arriving before they left ...

I voted, cos it was my first time hehe.
Probably wont vote again, just wanted to see what ya did :)

I've voted - personally I don't think you have a right to complain about the government if you don't exercise your right to vote.

Exiled as I am in Southport, this ex-pat Sheffielder drove to the local Methodist Hall with his wife to vote. The poor deluded girl actually appears to believe that if she accompanies me to vote, I will vote for the Roundheads she favours. To emphasise the futility of her attempts, I deliberately winked and nodded knowingly at the charming old gentleman in the blue rosette [who chuckled to himself], grimaced sardonically at the thrusting, young solicitor representing the ruling, stealth-tax junta, and ignored the poor, mad Liberal Democrat.

I voted last week by post - I wasn't sure if I'd be in Sheffield today and didn't want to risk missing out.

My elderly aunt, who's sadly no longer with us, was feeling ill on the day of the last general election, but she really wanted to vote. Then a gentleman from the Conservative party knocked on her door to ask if she'd voted. She explained she felt ill and he took her to the polling station in his car, then took her home again.

She didn't tell him she voted Labour :clap:

Originally posted by kathythebean
As it was there was just a woman,

What do these women do for the rest of the year, when there are no elections to supervise?

I imagine they probably practice, andy :)

Voted early and have spent the day getting people to and from their polling stations.

Originally posted by timo
Exiled as I am in Southport, this ex-pat Sheffielder drove to the local Methodist Hall with his wife to vote. The poor deluded girl actually appears to believe that if she accompanies me to vote, I will vote for the Roundheads she favours. To emphasise the futility of her attempts, I deliberately winked and nodded knowingly at the charming old gentleman in the blue rosette [who chuckled to himself], grimaced sardonically at the thrusting, young solicitor representing the ruling, stealth-tax junta, and ignored the poor, mad Liberal Democrat.

Oh timo - I read this post of yours with sheer delight, and could feel a curl of a smile form on my lips!

Still waiting to hear if my son in Malvern voted for the .....for the.....no, it's too much, I can't bring myself to mention the two-word party!

Off to the Heeley count at Ponds Forge tonight, and then onto a gathering of party supporters to view the results on a big screen until the early hours - where we await the verdict of the nation. The hustings and electioneering are now over. I've delivered thousands of leaflets, and walked umpteen miles in the process. I trust it was worth it - but I shall know in a few hours time!

I have voted twice today, once for a County Councillor and once for MP.

A queue of about 30 people in front of me waiting for ballot papers.

I've put the wine in to cool and am getting ready for a long and interesting night ahead.

This might seem a bit off topic, but isn't hustings a great word!

Just say it to yourself a few times....HUSTings... hustings ..... hustings...Hustings...

Originally posted by Andy
What do these women do for the rest of the year, when there are no elections to supervise?

It's like invigilator's at exams! When I was at uni they all looked and dressed the same. Old ladies with greyish curly hair, cardigans and heavy tweed skirts with sensible shoes. Maybe you can't be an invigilator unless you fit this criteria :confused:

I voted. first time ever! The chap in front of me could not read anything on his card or understand what he was supposed to do, they had to show him which box to cross!

Originally posted by cobaltblue
It's like invigilator's at exams! When I was at uni they all looked and dressed the same. Old ladies with greyish curly hair, cardigans and heavy tweed skirts with sensible shoes. Maybe you can't be an invigilator unless you fit this criteria :confused:

It's what middle aged people want to be when they grow up!

Originally posted by steelcitybab
I voted, cos it was my first time hehe.
Probably wont vote again, just wanted to see what ya did :)

I hope you will vote again steelcitybab.

I gave a lift to an 81yr. old lady from Arbourthorne this evening. She'd been viciously mugged* last week, and has her arm in a sling, and dreadful facial bruising. She cried when I knocked on her door and asked if she wanted a lift, as she said she was too shaken from her horrible experience to walk the distance to the polling station. Like the elderly man in Norfolk Park, (see earlier post), it seems that some people really do value their vote.

* the police have made an arrest.

Everyone should vote,if you want to change something you have to vote.
Mind you they ARE all the same apart from us.;)

Originally posted by royjames
Everyone should vote,if you want to change something you have to vote.


And everyone should vote if they don't want to change something, and are relatively satisfied with the way things are!


Mind you they ARE all the same apart from us.;)

And I say thank goodness none of the other parties are the same as yours royjames!

I have voted every year since being 18
The suffragettes fought hard for my vote so it is not to be wasted

hazel

Originally posted by hazel
I have voted every year since being 18
The suffragettes fought hard for my vote so it is not to be wasted

hazel

You and BoroughGal are of the same mind then Hazel. :thumbsup:

Originally posted by nick2
I'm realy not sure what to do, I'm not maddly keen on Labour or the Tories, but I don't think the Lib Dems will win, so perhaps I should go for the lesser of the two evils.

In the end that's what I did. I have just got back. Argued with myself all day that I wasn't gonna vote as none of them deserved it. My Grannie would 'bust a cap in my ass' though if she thought I never bothered!!

Have enough wine and snacks to see me through the night. Gonna settle down to "The Full Monty" now then tune into Election Night and watch all the drama and excitement live!!!! :D

Originally posted by redrobbo
You and BoroughGal are of the same mind then Hazel. :thumbsup:


It seems that some people forget that it is a privilege to be able to vote ...People gave their lives for that right and to not vote is disrespectful to their memory.

Ok some of you will say that it is also a privilege not to vote it is'nt, it,s the right to vote that allows you not to vote. It is called democracy.

Voted about 6pm at St.Timothy's in Crookes. Huge queue.

According to the BBC website, the turnout in Hillsborough was 89%

That's huge (national averge has just over 60%).

If they've got that right, then well done to S6 for taking up our democratic rights in such numbers.

(Unless either the people in the polling stations can't count, or there's been postal vote fraud, but it's not a marginal, so I doubt either of those have happened).

I voted yesterday lunchtime at St Timothy's in Crookes, it was absolutely dead in there but my wife voted later on in the day, around 6pm and, like fuzzy, found it was packed and she had to queue.

I agonised over who to vote for up until about a week ago - should I vote with my beliefs or vote tactically. In the end, for the first time in my life I voted tactically. Now I wish I hadn't :(

It took me ages to work out which candidate I was voting for as well, because there's a poster for the same party just down the road from here but with a different candidate's name on it. I had to check the ballot paper about half-a-dozen times to check that I had it right, I'd have hated to have accidentally voted for the BNP or UKIP or their ilk.

I took my daughter Lola, aged 4, along to the polling station with me. She was quite nonplussed by the whole event. She saw there was a stage in the church hall, but couldn't understand why nobody was singing on it. After all, that's what they do when you vote in Fame Academy. Silly me, I hadn't thought she would know what "to vote" means, but she was well up on the subject (albeit with a somewhat different understanding from mine) thanks to Fame Academy and its ilk. I don't think she understood why I was bothering to vote for something as boring and unimportant as a government though.

Originally posted by tinsel_ninja
According to the BBC website, the turnout in Hillsborough was 89%

That's huge (national averge has just over 60%).

If they've got that right, then well done to S6 for taking up our democratic rights in such numbers.

(Unless either the people in the polling stations can't count, or there's been postal vote fraud, but it's not a marginal, so I doubt either of those have happened).

It's only 60.6%, according to The Guardian which is far more likely. Even so, a good turn out and a good result.

A lot is always said about women who don't vote. I would like to know how many men chose not to vote or "spoil" thier vote? It seems to me that if women choose to spoil thier vote then they are up for criticism.
When women campaigned to be able to vote, the choice was probably a lot better than now, and morals were more evident then too. They didn't have to suffer the media Hype in a sit com style did they?

I did vote, but shouldn't have to feel more urged to vote than men.

Men didn't die for the right to vote, the vote was automatically theirs, just because they were of the 'stronger' and 'more intellegent' sex.

Personally I don't care if men vote or not, but I feel I owe it to the women who believed so much in our equality that they were prepared to die for us. That's fairly brave.

And I do feel that a lot (not all, I hasten to add) of people who "choose" not to vote, do so because they simply can't be arsed, not because they are able to choose.

Boroughgal,
Those are admirable sentiments. I seem to be regarded as the forum's 'Tory Boy' par excellence, and as such might not be automatically associated with the championing of feminism. However, I certainly do acknowledge that, were it not for the efforts of brave suffragettes, women in this country would have been denied the right to vote for much longer. Many imprisoned suffragettes were mercilessly mocked, physically beaten and force-fed. It is indeed a shameful episode of British history. You are very right to remember their heroism, especially on polling day.

In my case, I reflected how pleasant it was to be able to vote in a free, democratic election. Millions throughout the world are denied such a 'luxury'. Yes, even under the Blair stealth-tax junta, there are reasons to be thankful.

i was out of sheff yesterday and so pre-arranged my postal voting slip to make sure I didn't miss out. Like Boroughgal and Hazel, I take my right to vote seriously due to the historical sacrifice made by men and women of this country.

- The suffregette movement who secured the vote for women & The men and women who fought in wars to ensure we kept our democratic system in place.

To those who couldn't be arsed - it is your choice, but if I hear you complain about - prices, tax, shopping, buses, transport, road policy, health care, pensions, etc etc etc - please don't be offended when I tell you that I can't be arsed to listen!!!

Phew, not often I rant like that,,,, I don't know what came over me......off to lie down..........

Originally posted by BoroughGal
Men didn't die for the right to vote, the vote was automatically theirs, just because they were of the 'stronger' and 'more intellegent' sex.
Not true, what about the Peterloo Massacre?

People of both sexes have given their lives for democracy in many parts of the world, and everyone ought to exercise their right to vote.

(Aren't you glad we don't live in Switzerland, where women didn't get the vote until 1971)

Originally posted by DanSumption
Not true, what about the Peterloo Massacre?

People of both sexes have given their lives for democracy in many parts of the world, and everyone ought to exercise their right to vote.

Yeah, yeah, fair enough, but to be honest, this just reinforces my desire to vote.

(Aren't you glad we don't live in Switzerland, where women didn't get the vote until 1971)

I didn't know that...! Yep, I'm glad... !

My post didn't, in any way, mean that I don't appreciate my right to vote or take it for granted.

I was trying to point out that the point of thier campaigning was not to have a continuation of sexism. I feel that still exists by saying women should be more thankful and take thier vote more seriously than men. They fought for equality. Also what they fought for in terms of politics is no longer existent.

They are probably turning in thier graves over our politics. They were intelligent , forward thinking women, so why not still credit them with that.

If women are required to vote (and be criticised for not voting or spoiling thier vote) then why are all women not required to vote Labour? What is now known as the labour party was the only party interested in allowing women to vote back then if the main point of a womans vote is to honour the past. I'm sure it isn't what they intended.